Honey Smacks Salmonella outbreak: Don’t eat any of it, says CDC

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its statement on the Kellogg’s Honey Smacks Salmonella outbreak by saying simply: “Do not eat Kellogg’s Honey Smacks cereal of any size package or with any ‘best if used by’ date.”

The CDC has linked Honey Smacks to a Salmonella outbreak in which 73 people have been sickened in 31 states. Further, 24 victims have been hospitalized.

The Kellogg Company has voluntarily recalled 15.3-ounce and 23-ounce packages of Kellogg’s Honey Smacks with a “best if used by” date from June 14, 2018, through June 14, 2019. That decision was announced by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which also is involved in the investigation of the Honey Smacks Salmonella outbreak.

Honey Smacks Salmonella outbreak: The numbers

The CDC’s statement shows that illnesses from the outbreak range from March 3 to May 28. Other statistics from the CDC:

People who became sick range in age from less than 1 year old to 87.

The median age is 58.

Sixty-five percent of those sickened are female.

No deaths have been reported.

The states most affected by this Honey Smacks Salmonella outbreak reside in California, Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania.

Illnesses that occurred after May 22 might not have been reported yet because of the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported. This can take as long as a month.

The CDC has updated its statement on the Kellogg’s Honey Smacks Salmonella outbreak by saying simply: “Do not eat Kellogg’s Honey Smacks cereal of any size package or with any ‘best if used by’ date.” The Honey Smacks Salmonella outbreak has sickened 73 people in 31 states, and put 24 of them in hospital.

Honey Smacks Salmonella outbreak: The recall

The 15.3-ounce boxes of Honey Smacks that have been recalled have a UPC code of 38000 39103. The 23-ounce boxes recalled have a UPC code of 38000 14810. Look on the bottom of the box for the UPC code.

The CDC is advising consumers who have Honey Smacks on their shelves that they throw it away or return it to the place of purchase. The CDC goes on to say that if you store cereal in a container and don’t remember the brand or type of cereal it is, throw it away.

Once you have done that, wash the container thoroughly with warm, soapy water before using it again. This will help remove any Salmonella bacteria.

Honey Smacks Salmonella outbreak: The statement

The statement released by the CDC concludes with a section entitled “Investigation of the outbreak:”

Epidemiologic evidence indicates that Kellogg’s Honey Smacks cereal is a likely source of this multistate outbreak.

In interviews, ill people answered questions about the foods they ate and other exposures in the week before they became ill. Thirty (77%) of 39 people interviewed reported eating cold cereal. In interviews, 14 people specifically reported eating Kellogg’s Honey Smacks cereal. Ill people in this outbreak reported this cereal more often than any other cereals or food items.

On June 14, 2018, the Kellogg Company recalled 15.3 oz. and 23 oz. packages of Kellogg’s Honey Smacks cereal.

Recalled Kellogg’s Honey Smacks cereal have a “best if used by” date from June 14, 2018 through June 14, 2019. The “best if used by” date is on the box top.

The recalled 15.3 oz. Kellogg’s Honey Smacks cereal has a UPC code of 38000 39103. The recalled 23.0 oz. Kellogg’s Honey Smacks cereal has a UPC code of 38000 14810. The UPC code is on the bottom of the box.

CDC will provide updates when more information is available.

Honey Smacks Salmonella outbreak: The disease

Approximately 1.2 million people are sickened by Salmonella in the United States on a yearly basis. Of those, about 23,000 victims will need to be hospitalized, and approximately 450 will die.

What is the disease?Salmonella bacteria produce salmonellosis, which affects the intestinal tract. Salmonellosis develops anywhere from 12 hours to 72 hours after consumption of Salmonella-contaminated food.

Who is at risk?
People with the greatest risk of contracting salmonellosis are young children, senior citizens, women who are pregnant, and those with weakened immune systems.

What are the symptoms?
Salmonellosis symptoms, which can last up to a week, generally include:

diarrhea

abdominal cramps

vomiting

fever and chills.

Most people recover without needing to see a doctor, but diarrhea can become so severe that hospitalization becomes necessary.

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